If you've ever watched an adult pay for something by simply touching their credit card to a machine at a store, or you've done the same with a bus pass, you've seen an RFID tag in action. An RFID (Radio-Frequency IDentification) tag allows a card to be read by a computer from a short distance away. This is very convenient, but it also allows criminals to steal information about you. For instance, on the subway or the bus, someone standing next to you can use an RFID reader to access the data on…
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CompSci_p048

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

This science project requires an RFID reader and RFID tags. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.

Lights and music make a great combination! Getting sound and lights to complement each other just right helps set the mood for everything from DJ parties and concerts, to theater shows, the circus, and ballet performances. You can put together your own lights and music show using the Science Buddies . Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks like:
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This project requires the use of a tiny computer called a Raspberry Pi and…
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CompSci_p053

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

[# Fragment Name="Note.RaspberryPi.Material" Value="Html" #]
Estimated project time includes shipping for the kit. The project itself will take less than one day.

When you were little, did you ever make "music" in your kitchen by banging kitchen utensils on pots and pans? What if you could actually take those kitchen implements now, and play them with different sound effects? In this project, you can convert basic kitchen utensils into your own electronic drum set using the Science Buddies . Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks like:
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[] Video ]]
This project requires use of a tiny computer…
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CompSci_p054

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

[# Fragment Name="Note.RaspberryPi.Material" Value="Html" #]
Estimated project time includes shipping for the kit. The project itself will take less than one day.

Did you ever have a favorite toy like an action figure or doll that could light up, make noise, or move? This project will show you how to make your own interactive toy using the Science Buddies . Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks like. The version you make does not have to be a robot; it can be any shape and have any sound effects you want.
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This project uses a tiny computer called a Raspberry Pi and is fun and easy…
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CompSci_p058

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

[# Fragment Name="Note.RaspberryPi.Material" Value="Html" #]
Estimated project time includes shipping for the kit. The project itself will take one or two days.

Have you ever wished you could create an alarm system to guard your stuff? Or what about throwing a surprise party for someone and automatically playing music and flashing lights when they walk in the door? You can do either of these things using the Science Buddies . The kit includes a motion sensor, which can detect when people move in front of it. Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks like:
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[] Video ]]
This project requires use…
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CompSci_p055

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

[# Fragment Name="Note.RaspberryPi.Material" Value="Html" #]
Estimated project time includes shipping for the kit. The project itself will take less than one day.

Do you play video games on a console or smartphone? Have you ever wished you had the power to change how a game worked, or even to create your very own game? This project will show you how to make your very own video game and controller using the Science Buddies . Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks like. Of course, you can design the looks and gameplay of your game any way you like!
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This project requires use of a…
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CompSci_p059

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

[# Fragment Name="Note.RaspberryPi.Material" Value="Html" #]
Estimated project time includes shipping for the kit. The project itself will take one or two days to complete.

Have you ever used a toy like a Spirograph® to draw precise, repeatable patterns on a piece of paper? What if you could use a computer to automatically draw the patterns for you? This project will show you how to do just that using the Science Buddies . Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks like:
[[ Video []
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This project requires use of a tiny computer called a Raspberry Pi and is fun and easy for even complete beginners. By…
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CompSci_p060

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

This project requires a Science Buddies [# Link Name="CompSci_p058.1" Value="HtmlAnchor" #]. The kit can be used to do seven other projects.
See the Materials and Equipment list for details.
Estimated project time includes shipping for the kit. The project itself will take less than one day.

Have you ever played a game that tested the steadiness of your hands? Operation® is a popular board game that requires you to perform "surgery" without bumping a tool against the edges of the game. There are also popular amusement park or carnival games where you try to move a metal loop along a wavy metal wire without letting the two touch. You can build your own version of these games using the Science Buddies . Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks…
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CompSci_p056

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

[# Fragment Name="Note.RaspberryPi.Material" Value="Html" #]
Estimated project time includes shipping for the kit. The project itself will take less than one day.

Have you ever seen night lights that automatically turn on when it gets dark? What about art projects, like paintings or sculptures, with embedded lights? This project will let you combine the two, by adding lights to an art project of your choice. You can make the lights automatically turn on when it gets dark using the Science Buddies . Check out the video to see what this simple, but fun, project looks like:
[[ Video []
[] Video ]]
This project requires use of a tiny…
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CompSci_p057

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

[# Fragment Name="Note.RaspberryPi.Material" Value="Html" #]
Estimated project time includes shipping for the kit. The project itself will take less than one day.

Have you ever been annoyed by poor Wi-Fi reception for your phone, tablet, or laptop? Do you wish there was something you could do about it? In this project you will learn how to build a parabolic reflector that you can attach to the antenna of a regular wireless router to help boost its signal.
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CompSci_p010

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Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

This project requires a Wi-Fi router and a smartphone, tablet, or laptop with a Wi-Fi connection. You will also need access to a printer to print the parabolic template. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.

You can find this page online at: http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/search.shtml?v=solt&pi=CompSci_p049

You may print and distribute up to 200 copies of this document annually, at no charge, for personal and classroom educational use. When printing this document, you may NOT modify it in any way. For any other use, please contact Science Buddies.